James H. Hilton

The first Iowa State graduate to occupy its highest office, Hilton grew up on a farm near Hickory, N.C., attended North Carolina State College one year, completed his B.S. in animal husbandry at Iowa State in 1923, his M.S. at the University of Wisconsin in 1937. He was awarded the D.Sc. degree by Purdue University in 1945. He was county agent for Greene County, Iowa, 1923-26, then joined the Purdue staff. He was put in charge of dairy production teaching and research at Purdue in 1939, and the following year became assistant chief of the dairy husbandry department. In 1945 he returned to North Carolina State as head of animal husbandry. Three years later he was named dean of agriculture where he served until becoming Iowa State president.